Safety valve for aerosol containers



y 23, 1958 J. FRANGOS 3,385,481

' SAFETY VALVE FOR AEROSOL CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 12, 1966 Fig.1.

/7 f6 /2 A? V/ /Z '/4 mvsmoa: day/v hem/ 05 United States Patent Olfice 3,385,481 SAFETY VALVE FOR AEROSOL CONTAINERS John Frangos, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Revlon, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 572,086 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-396) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A valve for dispensing pressurized fluids from a container through a valve stem which extends from said container and is supported by a valve core within the container, said valve core having a frangible pressurerupturable segment integral therewith formed by attenuating the valve core thickness in portions beneath said valve stem and adapted to rupture at a predetermined pressure value to relieve excess pressure.

The present invention relates to the dispensing of fluid materials from containers under the influence of a propellant in the container. In particular, the invention relates to improved dispensing devices incorporating a safety valve.

The containers described above include containers of the aerosol type which generally comprise a container body, which holds a liquid or liquefied vaporizable propellant and a material to be dispensed, and a valve assembly controlling the emission of the material and propellants from the container body. Containers of this type are commonly fashioned of sheet metal safely to withstand the pressures generated by the propellant within the container at room temperatures.

However, if the container is raised to abnormally high temperatures, the pressure generated within the container may cause rupture thereof. For example, a propellant mixture of dichlorodifluoromethane and trichloromonofluoromethane blended to have a vapor pressure of 34 pounds p.s.i.g. at 70 F. will have a pressure of 145 pounds p.s.i.g. at 160 F. Accordingly, aerosol containers in commerce are marked clearly with warning that the containers are not to be heated or incinerated. Nevertheless, these warnings are sometimes ignored, often by inadvertence when disposing of spent containers, and explosive rupture of the containers results.

According to the present invention, containers of this type for dispensing fluids under pressure are provided with a safety valve which will open the container to the atmosphere through the valve when the contents of the container reach a predetermined pressure less than that which would result in explosive rupture of the container. The safety valve according to the present invention is cheaply and easily manufactured.

A better understanding of the present invention and of its many advantages will be had by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side view, in section, through a safety valve according to the present invention; and FIGS. 2 and 3 are more detailed sectional views of a similar valve.

In the figures, the valve shown comprises valve body 11 adapted to be sealed to an aerosol container, for example by ferrule 12, which can be crimped to the mouth of the container to form a fluid-tight seal between the valve and the container. Movably mounted within valve 3,385,481 Patented May 28, 1968 body 11 is valve core 14 supported within valve body 11 by compressible spring 15. Projecting upwardly out of said container is valve stem 16 having orifice 17. Said valve stem 16 may be integral with valve core 14 as in FIG. 1, or separately fashioned, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In either case, downward pressure on stem 16 depresses valve core 14. In the closed position of the valve, shown in FIG. 1, valve stem 16 and the interior of the container are not in communication. Upon depression of valve stem 16 to bring orifice 17 below gasket 13, the container and valve stem 16 are in communication through orifice 17, permiting the contents of the container to be dispensed.

Valve core 14 comprises pressure rupturable frangible segment 18, conveniently formed within valve core 14 by molding core 14 to be of attenuated thickness in portions directly below projecting valve stem 16. When the pressure of the contents of the container to which a valve of the type shown is aflixed exceeds a certain pressure, pressure rupturable frangible segment 18 fails, for example as shown in FIG. 3, directly opening the container to the atmosphere. The thickness of frangible segment 18 with respect to other portions of core 14 will vary depending on the strength of the material from which it is fashioned and the maximum pressure which it is designed to withstand.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it is to be understood that some changes may be made in the details of the structure without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a valve for dispensing fluids under pressure from a closed container, said valve comprising a valve body, means for sealing said valve body on said container, a valve core within said valve body, and a valve stem extending upwardly out of said container above said valve core, the improvement wherein said valve core includes a pressure-rupturable frangible segment integral with said valve core and formed by attenuation of the thickness of those portions of said valve core beneath said valve stem, said segment being adapted to rupture when the pressure in said container exceeds a predetermined value to open said container and relieve the pressure therein.

2. A valve as in claim 1 wherein said pressure rupturable frangible segment is lenticul'ar.

3. A valve as in claim 1 wherein said valve core and valve stem are integral.

4. A valve as in claim 1 wherein said valve core and said valve stem are separate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,348,708 8/1920 Garland 137-797 X 3,081,919 3/1963 Samuel 222-396 3,248,015 4/1966 De Giorgi 222402.24 3,155,292 11/1964 Webster 222-397 FOREIGN PATENTS 643,960 9/ 1950 Great Britain.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, Examiner. 

